Who Is The Female Lead For The Masters Of The Universe Franchise?

[Baena]

Teela, all the way!

[MegaGearMax]

I voted She-Ra, but Mattel actually settled this in their press release for the new She-Ra DVDs:

Mattel might say that She-Ra might be the lead female, but she doesn't appear until an era is well under way (vintage era, MOTUC, 200X)--if at all (1987 movie, MOTU mini-comics, NA). If a female has to be represented, Teela gets the nod.

[Darkspecter]

Mattel might say that She-Ra might be the lead female, but she doesn't appear until an era is well under way (vintage era, MOTUC, 200X)--if at all (1987 movie, MOTU mini-comics, NA). If a female has to be represented, Teela gets the nod.

Story build up. It's a grand entrance.

Also, if MOTUC was made into a cartoon, they have turned Teela into more of a B-list character (very disappointingly). Just a clone/"knock off" of the Sorceress. She still does important things, but she's just the Sorceress "a little younger." I was glad the clone thing was only in 1-2 mini-comics. It's ruined Teela.

She-Ra frees Etheria from the Horde, then goes to Eternia with some friends, rounds up the "Renegade Masters" and kicks some more butt. Teela would probably be a sidekick if she's still around at the time.

So, in MOTUC if anyone is the female lead besides She-Ra, it would be the Sorceress and not her clone. That would be like saying Mileena is the lead female in Mortal Kombat 2 and not Kitana. Mileena is a clone of princess Kitana.

[SSj3 Derek]

Got to go with She-Ra. She was a strong enough character to keep a series going for two years (with the occasional help from her brother, but still), and that says something.

[MegaGearMax]

Story build up. It's a grand entrance.

LOL!

Also, if MOTUC was made into a cartoon, they have turned Teela into more of a B-list character (very disappointingly). Just a clone/"knock off" of the Sorceress. She still does important things, but she's just the Sorceress "a little younger." I was glad the clone thing was only in 1-2 mini-comics. It's ruined Teela.

Teela is still fulfilling the same purpose either as the Sorceress' daughter or as her clone in Classics. One day, she'll take the Sorceress' place.

She-Ra frees Etheria from the Horde, then goes to Eternia with some friends, rounds up the "Renegade Masters" and kicks some more butt. Teela would probably be a sidekick if she's still around at the time.

So, in MOTUC if anyone is the female lead besides She-Ra, it would be the Sorceress and not her clone. That would be like saying Mileena is the lead female in Mortal Kombat 2 and not Kitana. Mileena is a clone of princess Kitana.

Clones can surpass the original--ask Solid Snake and Boba Fett.

In the actual storyline, Teela IS rather unimportant (Captain of Randor's Guards) compared to the likes of She-Ra (Etheria's champion) and the Sorceress (The mentor of He-Man).

But as far as character recognition? I think Teela is easily one of the Top Ten characters in MOTU, if not the Top Five and is probably the first female character that most fans think of when MOTU is brought up.

[Mr. Shokoti]

I don't normally pimp my threads, but I really like this one...

http://www.he-man.org:81/forums/boar...d.php?t=204860

For all of you She-Ra fans, the current question asks you who you feel is the best match for her in MOTU, DCU, Marvel, and a wild card choice of your own. This is your chance to not only pick the characters who you feel best fit with She-Ra, you can also say who would win in a fight.

PS, Catra will be the next character up.

[kylun flac]

teela was first right?

[SAMURAI36]

I have to go with She-Ra. I've read the responses here, and while I sort of agree about Teela, She-Ra is still the premiere character of the united MOTU franchise.

[MrRoboto]

For me, it's Teela.

She has the characteristics of a born leader in my opinion and since we're talking MotU and not PoP specifically, then that's the way i see it. Otherwise if we were to include PoP, then without doubt it'd be She-Ra.

[Wundar_Grayskull]

Deffintely She-Ra

[Ornclown]

Since He-Man's first inception, I believe Teela will always be considered the first-lady of MOTU.

[Angel-T]

Great Poll Mr shokotti!

She-Ra all the way! IMO She-Ra along with He-Man and Skeletor are the premier characters for this whole franchise. Outside of the MOTU & POP fan community these three characters alone are remembered with the general public. I love Teela and give her full credit as the original female within the brand. She has existed in all forms and types of MOTU entertainment.

However, it is also fair to say that Teela does not have the public recognition or nostalga attributed to her that the general public does hold for She-Ra! The poll I opened on Mattycollector.com and this one here both place She-Ra as the lead Female character. This poll is much closer, but the one on mattycollector is more heavy on She-Ra's side. Such a small number of fans voted in these polls I don't really think we can say one way or another, but both of these women are clearly very dear characters to many fans. I suppose the ultimate answer is down to the individual fan.

I personally have a lot more respect for Teela after seeing some of the many great arguments this question has brought up since we all started discussing this issue a while ago. But for me She-Ra is as she aways has been "The Most Powerful Woman in the Universe" and the number one female character in the Masters of the Universe Franchise.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Earlier in the thread I was on the fence. In 1984 I would have said Teela due to her status on the TV show. In 1986 I would have said She-Ra due to her status as lead in POP. In 1987 I would have said Teela due to her role in the MOTU live action movie. Fast forward to 2010 I would have said She-Ra due to nostalgia and my general love of the POP series. Now, after finding out that Teela will become the Sorceress and the fact that the importance of her role I will have to go with Teela.

[MegaGearMax]

Wow. It's so close.

For a lot of fans who didn't follow POP, Teela was the female lead. Personally, I blame Mattel's lack of marketing POP in MOTU itself in the 80's. No POP characters showing up alongside MOTU characters in MOTU mini-comics and other media made POP out to be a very optional part of MOTU as opposed to the characters who were actually featured.

[bcrduke]

Sits back and chuckles..

You BOYS all do realize that had She-Ra not been created to extend the franchise, MOTU would have died a LOT sooner than it did, right? Kids would have lost interest (not US, but more casual collectors).

She-Ra... ALWAYS SHE-RA.

Teela... Good grief, gentlemen.

She-Ra is THE lead. There is no sword of Grayskull for Teela. There is no cartoon series for Teela. There were no children's book series for Teela. There were no Teela Underroos! There was no Teela talking toothbrush. There were no Teela birthday party favors. There were no variants of Teela (until 200X). There were no Teela pencil cases or children's stationery (ok, there was an eraser, you got me).

Oh yeah, there was no "Teela, Princess of Power" toy line... Forgot about that one.

Oh that's right. We are talking "Masters of the Universe" only. Because POP and NA are still their own thing.

We are still even considering this idea?

As a "franchise," especially now because of MOTUC, these things are all part of one brand.

Said a la Tyler Perry's "Madea:" "Teeler. TEELER?!?!"

Just teasing y'all. I had to bring it for my girl. But seriously...

[TheShadow]

Absolutely She-Ra.

[Count Marzo]

For the vast majority MOTU is known as "He-Man and She-Ra", not He-Man and Teela, so I gotta go She-Ra as well.

Technically speaking though, Teela is MOTU and She-Ra is PoP. Marketing and popularity-wise it's definitely She-Ra. Everyone (casual fans aka not us that live on the .org) remembers She-Ra over Teela.

[MegaGearMax]

For the vast majority MOTU is known as "He-Man and She-Ra", not He-Man and Teela, so I gotta go She-Ra as well.

Technically speaking though, Teela is MOTU and She-Ra is PoP. Marketing and popularity-wise it's definitely She-Ra. Everyone (casual fans aka not us that live on the .org) remembers She-Ra over Teela.

She-Ra is more famous, but due to She-Ra's nature as a reveal, Teela will be featured in most MOTU media before She-Ra shows up--IF She-Ra shows up at all. Although She-Ra is much more famous, Teela has the first lady of MOTU nod and was featured in the 1987 movie, 200X and Jetlag. If there are new MOTU properties, Teela has a major advantage of appearing over She-Ra.

This is one of the reasons why there is even a debate. It's like the world votes She-Ra, but Mattel votes Teela.

[Mr. Shokoti]

Saying She-Ra is the answer due to her name being on cartoons & books is like saying, imho that is, that Elmo from Sesame Street is the biggest Muppet ever. The only reason She-Ra got her name on stuff is due to the fact that she was being targeted towards a different and, for the most part, separate audience. Lou Scheimer & Filmation were the only ones who actually tried to target new fans as well as old MOTU fans. Mattel was obviously going for little girls only(although I realize there were still some crossover fans).

[Eternian Poet]

Evil-Lyn!

She appears is the MOTU & POP cartoons (except NA I suppose), the '87 movie (with more screen presence than Teela or Sorceress), in all the comics, lots of minicomics & story/audio-books.

In the bios she frees tons of villans & monsters & is daughter to the Faceless One whose very birth causes his own downfall.

She has an interesting relationship to Skeletor, a rivalry with Teela, a possible love-affair with Man-At-Arms (see UK comic).

Because she is still also human, she has extra complexity - she does the Faceless One a favour & sometimes even questions her own path (Filmaton, anyway).

Plus, as a villan - she makes stuff happen!

[MegaGearMax]

Teela is the most popular if you only count the MOTU brand as being before Secret of the Sword.

Teela was in the 1987 movie and out of all the MOTU-verse characters to choose from she was in the NA cartoon for an episode. No one is arguing that Teela is bigger than She-Ra, but Teela does show up alot more.

Also, Teela is not more well known than She-Ra. When people remember characters, they remember: He-Man, Skeletor and She-Ra. There were a couple others and I think Teela was lower on the list. I'm pretty sure Val and co. did a poll with random people at a con before.

Orko was the third most popular I think.

More people remember She-Ra because of the "Power Hour." Back-to-back He-Man and She-Ra episodes. Also, She-Ra had her own movie which LOTS of little kids went to watch.

But wouldn't you say that people also saw Teela in that Power Hour as well? Filmation-wise, Teela was in 105 He-Man episodes, 3 She-Ra episodes and 2 specials compared to She-Ra's 94. And Teela was in the 1987 movie which made $17 million compared to SOTS' $7 million.

She-Ra is bigger than Teela, but Teela shows up alot more.

[Mr. Shokoti]

She-Ra is bigger than Teela, but Teela shows up alot more.

Having a separate brand doesn't necessarily mean you are bigger. Does that mean, due to the 2002/MYP era featuring Snakemen in the title before it was cancelled, that King Hiss & his cronies are bigger than Skeletor & his Evil Warriors or even Hordak & The Horde? Elmo has had his own movie and tons of popular toys. Is he bigger than Kermit, Miss Piggy, or even Big Bird in the minds of most Muppet fans or just the select group that he is targeted towards?

[MegaGearMax]

Having a separate brand doesn't necessarily mean you are bigger. Does that mean, due to the 2002/MYP era featuring Snakemen in the title before it was cancelled, that King Hiss & his cronies are bigger than Skeletor & his Evil Warriors or even Hordak & The Horde? Elmo has had his own movie and tons of popular toys. Is he bigger than Kermit, Miss Piggy, or even Big Bird in the minds of most Muppet fans or just the select group that he is targeted towards?

I agree with that assessment.

I've seen that most lay-people would see a woman with He-Man and automatically think it's She-Ra, even they are really seeing Teela. That's why I think that She-Ra is the most famous female character in the MOTU mythos out of the fandom (in the fandom is pretty damn close if you check out the poll numbers), but as far as Mattel is concerned, Teela is pretty much THE MOTU-verse female.

[Count Marzo]

I don't like this unlikely teamup of Mr. Shokoti and MGM in this thread.

Bout time they found something they could agree about Teela on!

[Darkspecter]

Teela was in the 1987 movie and out of all the MOTU-verse characters to choose from she was in the NA cartoon for an episode. No one is arguing that Teela is bigger than She-Ra, but Teela does show up alot more.

She-Ra almost showed up in the He-Man film. She has the wicked awesom concept art! They probably felt He-Man needed his own movie without She-Ra so it could focus more on him. I bet she would have been in the sequel! Not sure if a script for that is floating around anywhere.

I still think something was screwed up in NA and She-Ra was supposed to visit He-Man and they accidentally said "Teela" or someone saw She-Ra and thought that WAS Teela.

If MYP had continued, She-Ra would have been introduced. It was cancelled before she came into the picture. She always has to make a grand entrance.

Also, besides having her own series of toys and a show (part of the Power Hour), She-Ra headlined the Power Tour with He-Man. She also had her own magazines in North America and comic books wold wide.

Orko was the third most popular I think.

I think you're right.

But wouldn't you say that people also saw Teela in that Power Hour as well? Filmation-wise, Teela was in 105 He-Man episodes, 3 She-Ra episodes and 2 specials compared to She-Ra's 94. And Teela was in the 1987 movie which made $17 million compared to SOTS' $7 million.

She-Ra is bigger than Teela, but Teela shows up alot more.

It's true for the most part, but She-Ra is more recognizable because she was her own brand. The people that aren't hardcore fans that DO remember these 80's properties, remember them as "He-Man" and "She-Ra" not "Masters of the Universe" or "Princess of Power."

Even though She-Ra has only shown up in 1 cartoon (and Teela has been in 3 + the live action movie), She-Ra STILL has more figures than her!

- She-Ra, Starburst She-Ra, Bubble Power She-Ra, SDCC She-Ra, MOTUC She-Ra, DCUC vs MOTUC She-Ra and She-Ra 2.0
- Teela, 200X Teela, Toyfare Snake Teela, MOTUC Teela, Battleground Teela

*shrugs*

P.S. Shokoti, I believe Elmo is probably bigger than all those classic characters. For some reason, there's an ENORMOUS Elmo craze that started with Tickle Me Elmo and toned down a bit, but never stopped. Elmo is a force to be reckoned with!